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Most ISIS bomb material comes from Turkey - analysis

2017-12-14

Most of Islamic State’s bomb-making equipment originates in Turkey, a new analysis by expert Doğu Eroğlu on independent news website Diken said.

“According to the most comprehensive report on the weapons, ammunition and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the Islamic State (ISIS) prepared to the present day has shown that while Turkish-sourced guns and ammunition might be limited, the majority of the raw materials used in IED-making were supplied from Turkey,” Eroğlu said.

Only 0.87 percent of guns and 2.71 percent of ammunition found in former ISIS territory were sourced from Turkey, according to the Conflict Armament Research (CAR) report.

Some 97 percent of the light arms recovered were Warsaw Pact calibre and only 3 percent were NATO calibre, Eroğlu said, with the main manufacturer of both arms and ammunition being China.

Some of the ammunition found by Iraqi forces in ISIS territory, however, had been registered as part of a 5 million-bullet sale by Bosnia to the Turkish Interior Ministry. The ministry did not respond to CAR’s request for information.

“CAR related that almost all the raw materials for the IEDs and improvised rocket-assisted mortars had come from Turkey, and stated that among these materials were aluminium paste, ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sorbitol, the barrels used for explosives, detonating cords, cables and wires,” Eroğlu said.